You turned 5 during our recent holiday when we were in Milan. There wasn’t any special celebration but we did remember to get a slice of cake and a double scoop ice cream cone for you that evening. Being on such a special trip with a bunch of people, all the way from Singapore, whom you love and adore was perhaps the best present.
The biggest challenge for you this year has to be picking up French. You had a hard time in school because you couldn’t speak the language. You were rejected at the playground and you were picked on by other kids. We were happy that you were able to tell us what happened in school. We know it was probably not easy for you to admit your fears, especially when we always come to the same conclusion that you need to face school. It was a tough choice for us.
We taught you a few kicks and a few punches to deal with these not so nice kids and it seems to work. There was once you helped to fight some boys because they were attacking the girls. And there was a time you told us that you could hear your heart went ‘thump thump’ when you ran away from some boys who were trying to attack a bunch of you.
You learned that there are kids who don’t play nice and you do have the power to stop them from being nasty to you. You have decided not to play with these kids even it means having no one to play with. You seem to have a mind of your own and your choices are seldom influenced by other kids.
Today, you have made friends in school. You love holding hands with them, something you can’t explain why. It makes me smile to hear you speak French with your little friends. Your teachers love you and they were surprised when I told them that you had a hard time coping in school. We knew they like you probably because of the many things that you had told us. That you were one of the few kids who helped to clear up the mess after every activities each day, that you only talked when you were asked to as you realised that it gets too noisy when everyone talks at the same time. You are a sensitive guy who can be very observant at times.
Still, there were days when you chose to stay home, especially after a long break. Once a while we let you, though we probably shouldn’t. We usually ended up negotiating. You love negotiating and you love to talk. You can talk talk talk non stop. Keeping you in a conversation is the best way to keep you entertained and happy.
Because we allow negotiation, sometimes you would end up arguing with us when things don’t turn out the way you want it. We have to remind you that there is a difference between negotiating and being rude.
Beside talking, you love to listen to people’s conversation. You could be playing in the living room and listening to our conversation in the kitchen at the same time. Many times, you were happy and satisfied just sitting at the dining table, listening to us talk and would command us to continue talking when we paused. You are like a little sponge, soaking up every bit of information and you have a superb memory like many kids your age.
You looked forward to school holidays and it is amazing how vividly you remember every places we have visited. You were eager to share with strangers, stories about our trips. Your enthusiasm probably amused many people. You could tell from their wide eyes and the way they smile. Very often you were the only kid, trying to participate in a conversation with a bunch of adults. It didn’t bother you at all and you look absolutely adorable when you speak with both your little hands tucked in your pockets, the reason you gave was, PILOTS DO THAT WHEN THEY TALK! It is funny.
During our trips, you picked up hiking and skiing and you fell in love with them. You feel proud to hike up a mountain and ski down a slope. I guess it gave you a great sense of achievement, since to begin with, you have always been wary when it comes to trying out new things. You have gained much confidence through the process and I guess now, you believe that you are capable of achieving much more.
You love the mountains, the open fields, the rivers and the lakes. Very often, we had to drive for hours but you hardly whine or grumble. You talked most of the time. When you were not talking or sleeping, you would tell us that you were enjoying the scenery. We love what we hear and we know what you mean.
You love your Legos. Sometime during your 2 hours lunch break, we got carried away with our conversation and you would get upset when you realised that you were left with little time to play with your toys. Playing with them is something you need to do everyday. You can indulge in your imaginary world for a long time.
You have an affection for little creatures. You would pat a stranger’s dog, say hi to a stray cat, tip toed on the grass to avoid stepping on the flowers. Butterflies dodging in and out flowers make you squeal with delight. Sometimes we feel that you are nicer to these little creatures than to people. There are people whom you simply ignore. We feel that you sense hostility or maybe something that you don’t like.
You are a little guy that has taught us a great deal about sticking to your passion and you might just be able to show us how far it can bring one. For a long time now, you are obsessed with planes. You know a great deal about these flying machines and you are always ready to talk about these machines. Often, very seriously. You are determined to become a pilot when you grow up and it makes me wonder whether you will ever change your mind.
You know we love you to bits and you are a little guy that makes us hard not to be proud of.
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